Semiconductor News 20260207

Main News

1. TSMC to Upgrade Kumamoto Plant to Cutting-Edge 3nm Process
   TSMC has reportedly notified the Japanese government that it will upgrade its Kumamoto Plant 2 (JASM) production plans from the original 6nm/7nm to the cutting-edge 3nm process. This is a strategic move to significantly increase production capacity in Japan and signals a deepening of the technology agreement between Taiwan and Japan, which will play a central role in TSMC’s plan to increase its overseas production ratio to 20% by 2028.
2. Google Doubles AI Investment and Increases Competition for TPU ASIC Suppliers
   Google plans to nearly double its capital expenditures (CapEx) on AI infrastructure year over year, leading to increased competition among suppliers for orders of custom chips (TPU ASICs) AI models. Google continues to invest heavily in hardware to enhance the learning and inference capabilities of its AI models, creating significant opportunities for partners such as Broadcom.
3. NVIDIA Excludes Micron for HBM4 for Next-Generation “Rubin ”
   NVIDIA reportedly plans to select SK Hynix and Samsung as suppliers of HBM4 (high bandwidth memory) for its next-generation AI chip “Vera Rubin” and exclude Micron. This is a blow to Micron and a key win for Samsung in its bid to expand its share of the HBM market, shifting memory procurement strategies that determine the performance of AI semiconductors.
4. Rapidus Raises $1 Billion in Private Funding and Strengthens 1.4nm Collaboration with IBM
   Japan’s Rapidus is expected to raise $1 billion in new private funding to build a factory and install equipment. The company will also deepen its partnership with IBM, keeping half of its engineers dispatched to New York there to accelerate development of the 1.4nm generation process, and will aim to revive Japan’s advanced semiconductor manufacturing by strengthening both its financial and technological systems with a view to mass production in 2027.
5. PC makers are considering adopting Chinese DRAM for the first time as memory shortages wor sen
   It is reported that major PC makers such as HP are considering adopting DRAM from China’s CXMT (Changjiang Xunyin) for the first time due to tight global memory supplies. The tight production capacity of major manufacturers due to AI demand has prompted a shift to Chinese-made memory, which has been difficult to adopt in the past. Diversification of the supply chain and cost containment are urgently needed, and the power structure of the memory market is likely to change.
6. Intel warns of CPU shortages and price increases of more than 10% in Chinese market
   Intel has warned its customers in China that CPU supply shortages could increase prices by more than 10% and extend delivery times by up to six months. Supply constraints in CPUs for servers and high-end products are becoming more pronounced, likely due to supply chain fragmentation and production adjustments caused by the U.S.-China conflict. This is a risk factor that could cause delays in China’s IT infrastructure building plans.
7. Samsung Foundry to Raise Prices for 4nm and 8nm Process es
   Samsung Electronics’ foundry division reportedly plans to raise contract manufacturing prices for its 4nm and 8nm processes by 10%, with the aim of improving profitability while closing the price gap with TSMC. The company is also confident of increasing orders for its 2nm process and is rushing to strengthen its competitiveness in advanced processes, targeting 130% growth in order to win major customers outside of Tesla.
8. NVIDIA to forgo new gaming GPUs in 2026 due to memory crunch
   NVIDIA reportedly plans not to launch new gaming GPUs in 2026 due to a shortage of GDDR memory supply and a production focus on HBM for AI. This would be the first time in the past 30 years that this has happened, with the AI boom having a direct impact on the roadmap for consumer products, prolonging the wait for the next generation of graphics boards for gamers.
9. South Korea’s Major Corporations Promise $186 Billion Investment to Revitalize Local Economies
   South Korean President Yun and top conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, met and pledged to invest a total of $186 billion (about 28 trillion yen) to revitalize the local economy. This includes the formation of a semiconductor cluster and investment in renewable energy. A large-scale public-private partnership project will be undertaken to raise the industrial competitiveness of the nation as a whole while correcting the concentration of industry in the metropolitan area.
10. Global Semiconductor Sales to Reach $1 Trillion for the First Time in 2026
    According to forecasts by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and other organizations, global semiconductor sales are expected to hit record numbers in 2025 and reach the $1 trillion mark in 2026 for the first time ever. for AI, data centers and automobiles. Demand for semiconductors is driving growth, and it is increasingly believed that we have entered a period of structural growth beyond the silicon cycle. The entire industry is in the midst of an unprecedented super cycle.

News List